Device and method for cooking and/or heating comestibles with hot gaseous fluid

A method for cooking or heating food with hot gaseous fluid directly in a dish comprising:

• placing food directly in a dish having a rim;
• engaging the seal member of an applicator with the rim of the dish to form a substantially closed cooking chamber for the food between the dish and applicator;
• introducing hot gaseous fluid from a generator through the inlet of the applicator into the cooking chamber to increase the pressure therein to a predetermined pressure;
• maintaining the cooking chamber at about the predetermined pressure for a period of time sufficient to complete the cooking of the food in the dish;
• and
• superimposing a plurality of pressure pulses upon said predetermined pressure for at least part of said period of time, said plurality of superimposed pressure pulses being adapted to force the hot gaseous fluid into and out of the void spaces in the food repetitively, thereby causing more effective and deeper cooking or heating of the food.

A device for cooking or heating food with hot gaseous fluid directly in a dish comprising:

• a generator for producing hot gaseous fluid;
• an applicator comprising a generally gas-impermeable body for covering at least part of the dish in which the food is contained, an inlet for connecting to said generator to receive the hot gaseous fluid, a seal member having a lower surface adapted to engage with the rim or the side wall of the dish to create a closed cooking chamber for the food in the dish, and a distributor in communication with said inlet for distributing the hot gaseous fluid to the food in the dish;
• and
• a mechanism for repetitively opening said cooking chamber to atmosphere to release some of the hot gaseous fluid therein during the cooking process, thereby producing a plurality of pressure pulses to improve the cooking of the food in the dish.